I Hate You
by issybizz
Summary: Harry Hates Draco Malfoy. Malfoy shows Harry how much. Set in Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts. HPDM SLASH
1. Welcome Back

Disclaimer: Characters, events, places, items and so on are not mine. Please don't sue. Purely for my own enjoyment - no harm intended.  
  
Notes: HP/DM slash. Set in Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts School. I have taken Blaise Zabini as being male. I have the middle planned but the beginning was quite hard to start rolling.  
  
Story Summery: Harry hates Draco Malfoy. Malfoy helps Harry realise how much. Expect a little anguish here and there.  
  
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Chapter 1 Welcome Back  
  
Due to complications (the Dursleys) Harry missed the Hogwarts Express, where he had planed on meeting his friends, Ron and Hermione. However, due to some miracle, which Harry suspected that Headmaster Dumbledore was behind; Mrs Figg turned up at number 4 Privet Drive at 11am with a tartan smuggled flying carpet tucked under her arms.  
  
Missing the sorting-hat ceremony and feast, yet again, Harry arrived at Hogwarts in the early hours of the morning - windswept. Professor McGonagall was outside the Main Entrance to welcome him and Mrs Figg to Hogwarts, where Harry was given the Gryffindor password, a coup of steaming hot tea and sandwiches with some ginger biscuits. Soon after, when outside a thin orange line began to peer over the horizon though the windows, Harry made his way up to the cosy Gryffindor common room and into his dorm. The second Harry's head hit his pillow he fell into a deep sleep, not bothering with getting changed into his PJ's or waking anyone up.  
  
Ron was the first to scorn the Dursleys but reassuringly patted Harry on the back confessing how pleased he was to see Harry ("Better late than never, eh mate!"). To Harry's discomfort, Ron had jumped on him up at 6.30am in screaming fits of pleasure to see Harry in the bed next to him.  
  
*#*  
  
Harry sat in the middle of Ron and Hermione at breakfast on the start of term. Looking down the Gryffindor table he was met with a few proud looking first-years. For the first time at Hogwarts Harry felt old, they all looked so innocent and little. Most of the first year girls wore bright ribbons in their hair while comparing enthusiastically their timetable with the persons sitting next to them. The new boys constantly threw questions about everything and anything while piling most of the table's food onto their plates and later into their mouths.  
  
Harry glanced down at his timetable. Double Potions! First lesson back, Harry and Hermione had Double Potions! Ron wanted to be an Auror but because of his lower than "Outstanding" grade in Potions was refused by Snape to take it at NEWT level. Hermione insisted that her interest in Potions was stronger than her dislike of Professor Snape and opted to continue it further. Harry however was two marks from obtaining an 'Outstanding' in his potions OWL (Ordinary Wizarding Level). With a little push from McGonagall however, Snape was twisted to take Harry onto do NEWT lessons. Now that Sirius had gone, there was nothing more Harry wanted to be than a dark wizard catcher.  
  
Breakfast was a loud affair. Ron was watching Ginny (who had grown taller than Hermione over the summer) cast glances every now and then across the table to Dean Thomas. Harry was sure he caught Dean glance back at Ginny once and smile. Hermione was colouring her new timetable with her wand using a whole range of Florissant shades. As soon as Harry took a sip of his pumpkin juice from his goblet, he didn't take his eyes off his food not even to watch the post owls arrive. He didn't have anyone who mattered to him outside of Hogwarts now that Sirius was dead. Over the summer Harry decided to avenge Sirius's passing rather than anguish it. A bell rang in the distance signalling the end of breakfast and the start of the first lesson.  
  
Harry's stomach lurched as he sat at his usual back-of-class seat next to Hermione in Snapes dungeons. He noticed very few Gryfindors left. Infact, apart from Harry and Hermione there were only two others, Lavender Brown and Seamus Finnigan.  
  
What made Harry the saddest weren't the lack of Gryfindors but the loss of Ron. He had never sat through a single Potions lesson without him nor had he ever arrived to Hogwarts without him before now. Hermione seemed to have read his mind and gave him a weak smile from under her bushy hair. Harry noticed with a sickening feeling, that every Slytherin remained (not counting Crabbe and Goyle - who were not). They all sat bolt upright and leering at the four Gryfindors.  
  
"Congratulations, Potter!" the cold drawl of Draco Malfoy sizzled between the silent distance that separated the two houses. Harry's eyes snapped to challenge Malfoy. Harry noticed that Malfoy had grown a lot over the summer. 'A lot more arrogant' Harry thought too.  
  
Instead of being flanked by Crabbe and Goyle, Malfoy was now surrounded by the whole lot of Slytherins. In particular Millicent Bulstrode and Pansy Parkinson who seemed to be eyeing Draco lustfully out of the corner of their eyes whenever they felt they could get away with it. Obviously Malfoys growth spurt made him look a lot more powerful and manly then before.  
  
"On managing to stay alive this long." Malfoy continued ("Just ignore him" Hermione had whispered) "I suspect our muggle loving headmaster bent a few rules to allow Snape to take you into his class" Malfoys face grew into a snigger just as the dungeon door, behind Harry, swung shut.  
  
Severus Snape glided to the front of the class pivoting then folding his arms across his chest to face his new students.  
  
Snape's skin seemed to ripple slightly as he cast a reproachful glance at Harry before addressing his class. "Welcome back to all of you who were talented enough to obtain an Outstanding or above in your Potions OWL."  
  
Harry scowled at this; Snape had managed to take a subtle swipe at him with the first sentence of the year.  
  
"I give regular tests at the end of each week. If you do not pass to my satisfaction you get detention, with me, and five points taken from your house for not paying attention in classes." Snapes black eyes bounced from his class to Harry and back to his class again before he went on "Detention is also given to anyone who falls below the high standards I ask of my NEWT students."  
  
Harry was glad he dropped Herbiology; he feared he would need all his free time buffering up his Potions knowledge.  
  
"Understood? - Good" Snape snapped, turned his back on his class with a swipe of his long slender-black cloak and took a seat behind his tall desk to take the register.  
  
After potions Harry was numb from subtle insults flung his way from Snape and long-winded explanations of what the class should already be familiar with.  
  
The rest of Harry's first day of his sixth year had gone fast, stopping here and there when Malfoy bumped into him. Malfoy this year had seemed to take his despise of Gryfindors to a whole new level and his respect of authority seemed to also been weakened during the holidays. He would risk actually taunting Harry in front of some teachers, something Malfoy never ventured undertaking before.  
  
*#*  
  
After breakfast on Tuesday, Harry had a free period, unlike Ron whom had Herbiology and Hermione, who had some other subject Harry didn't take. Harry decided to go up to the Library. He selected a book called 'Potions for the Persistent' and began to take detailed notes in a shadowed half- hidden alcove. He was determined not to give Snape any reason to land him in detention anytime soon.  
  
The library was almost empty except for a few people Harry didn't know too well.  
  
"Blaise Zabini!" Harry overheard from behind a near and hidden bookshelf - it was clearly Malfoy's voice. "I could kiss you!" A small but flattered male voice made a contempt sound. Malfoy continued, "This is the perfect potion to use! It's been too long since we last saw them and I think I shall execute this ASAP."  
  
The voice of Blaise spoke up for the first time in a highly dignified manor "Why Draco - anyone would think you actually missed them."  
  
"I have Transfiguration on Thursday. Can you get this potion ready for me that morning? Before breakfast?" Malfoy continued, choosing to ignore his companion's earlier remark.  
  
"Draco, I'm offended!" Blaise broke out "I could make this by tomorrow morning it's simple enough really, you could easily do it yourself."  
  
"Why don't I meet you tonight, say about 1am in the common room and we could start it together?" Malfoys voice seemed thick with menace and a lot deeper than Harry remembered it being before.  
  
The bell rang to signal second lesson. With a cold unsettling feeling Harry quickly left the library with more books than he had on entry. He wondered what on earth Malfoy needed a potion in Transfiguration for. Checking his new timetable Harry saw he had Charms with Ron and Hermione next. However, he also noticed that Thursday he had Transfiguration with none other than the Slytherins. A sinking feeling settled in the pit of Harry stomach.  
  
End Chapter 1  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Next chapter will be published, with any luck, before next week - hopefully. 


	2. Penultimate Day

Disclaimer: Characters, events, places, items and so on are not mine. Please don't sue. Purely for my own enjoyment - no harm intended.  
  
Notes: I have taken Blaise Zabini as being male. This chapter I named 'Penultimate Day' because tomorrow (chapter3) changes everything between Harry and Draco :P HP/DM slash  
  
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Chapter 2 - Penultimate Day  
  
Wednesday Harry had a fairly enjoyable day. In the morning he had Care of Magical Creatures with Hargrid. To Harry's pleasure most of the Slytherins seemed to have dropped it (Except for Grabbe and Goyle who Harry suspected only took it because they were able to get a Pass in their exam).  
  
After Care of Magical Creatures Ron had Divination, Harry noticed Ron actually seemed to enjoy it and as it turns out, he obtained an 'Outstanding' in his exam.  
  
At lunchtime Hermione was not in the Great Hall with the rest of the Gryffindors, who all sat under the blue-sky painted ceiling. The absence of Hermione seemed to make Ron edgy and quieter than usual.  
  
Ron looked up from his plate at last with an expression of pure fear on his face, "Harry? - I've done something really stupid." Ron continued in a whisper after a nod from Harry told him to continue. "Well. Hermione. I ."  
  
Harry looked up into Ron's face but he seemed to be watching the teacher's table with no conviction behind his tormented eyes - His ears ablaze "What's wrong, Ron?"  
  
"I." Before Ron had chance to continue, Draco Malfoy stalked passed the Gryffindor table rubbing his side against Harry's back as he went.  
  
"Hay Weasley!" The cold voice of Malfoy could be heard across the tables as Harry turned to see the blonde haired boy turn to face Ron, a hand on his hip.  
  
"Nice job you did on Granger! I've never quite managed to make her that upset that she actually missed a lesson!" Malfoys blood-red lips flashed against his pale face.  
  
"What are you talking about Malfoy? Get lost!" Harry stood up from his seat at the exact same time as Ron berried his head in his hands.  
  
"What? Don't you know Potter?" Malfoy's face lit up as his eyes flashed over Harry sizing him up. "Weasel laughed when that Granger declared her undying love for him this morning." Malfoy stopped here to savour the changing expressions on Harry's thin face. "It was highly amusing Potter." With that Malfoy's crones goofed aloud and stalked away following Malfoys already retreating back.  
  
Harry sat back down next to Ron as his puce friend flung his head down into his arms on the table in front of him.  
  
"I wanted to tell you, Harry - but I couldn't." Ron's voice sounded muffled. "You should have seen her face. I wish she hadn't run off, I only laughed out of relief that she liked me back. The Slytherins overheard and. and. I've got to find her!" Ron exclaimed suddenly springing to life while tipping his goblet of Pumpkin juice all over Parvati Patil's plate.  
  
*#*  
  
That night two male Slytherins stayed up under the light of the stone fire which was ablaze at the back of the Slytherin's cave-like common room.  
  
In front of the fire one blonde and one caramel haired boy, sat cross- legged leering over a rusty black caldron, which had a slight orange glow due to the heat of the aqua-blue potion bubbling inside.  
  
Bits and bobs scattered around them while the strong silent stonewalls stood a guard.  
  
"I think that's enough, Draco, six was more than adequate." Blaise grunted in the water evaporating from the caldron into his shadowing face - late nights didn't suit him too well.  
  
"I know that!" Malfoy had become overpowered by the dark task of concocting such a potion. "But you don't know Potter like I do." The shadows that danced along Malfoys face weren't cast by the absence of sleep. "Perfect Potter manages to gets out of everything - like a snake."  
  
Malfoy spoke into his potion, not taking his eyes off it. "O no, this potion need to be stronger than what's recommended, purely because Potter probably has some natural defence against it that nobody knows about, as for the other two - who cares? I don't."  
  
"Draco?" Blaise softly enquired, concern etched thickly in the lines on his forehead. "Your not this - dedicated - with anyone else you taunt, why are you so fixed on them three?" Blaise sounded small as he finished "With him?"  
  
Malfoy hadn't noticed the tone in his comrade's voice. "Because he hates me. I once offered him friendship, both before and after I knew his name and he threw it back in my face, without even getting to know who I was."  
  
Blaise watched Malfoy closely, coming to the conclusion that the fumes from the potion must be starting to affect him, as Malfoy seemed positively possessed.  
  
"Hum." Blaise decided it was a good idea to steer the conversation away from Harry Potter. "I think the potion is complete now. It just needs to be left alone to cool down before breakfast."  
  
Malfoy took a deep calming breath and exhaled. "Thank you Blaise. For staying up with me and helping me with the potion." Malfoy drew away from the cauldron and unfolded his numb legs.  
  
"You know - you're not as scary as you let the rest of the school believe." Blasie stood up to tower over the kneeling form of Malfoy, a snigger on his rose-shaped lips.  
  
"That's what I like about you Blaise," Malfoy stood up to stand nose-to- nose with his caramel haired friend. "You see beyond the stereotype." A ripple ran the length of Blaise's form at Malfoys words. He let his eyes travel down to Malfoys lips as he took a daring step closer.  
  
Malfoy didn't move. He knew Blaise had a crush on him - it was kind of sweet but totally unreturned. Before Malfoy gave Blaise the opportunity to move into a kiss he added, "That's what I like about us Slytherins."  
  
As Blaise said Goodnight to Draco, Malfoy busied himself clearing the aftermath of creating the potion. The smouldering ashes of the fire glowed orange against the pitch-blackness of the deserted common room.  
  
Instead of going back to his dormitory/den, whatever you would call it, Malfoy perched himself up against the stone cold mantelpiece of the dead fire - waiting.  
  
End Chapter 2  
  
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A/N: I'm sorry about the little Ron/Hermione at the beginning but there is logic behind this chaos - honest.  
  
Chapter 3: (Transfiguration and Potion) will be up in a week, give or take a day or two. Malfoy in Transfiguration uses his potion, however it doesn't go quite to plan.  
  
I have something very *special* coming up in chapter 4! *Giggles*  
  
Review Responses -  
  
Neko Kagome-chan: Thanks for reviewing and for being the first to review my story - YAY. I'm glad you liked it.  
  
Sailor Grape: Ah, you'll have to keep reading to find out! Thanks for the encouragement.  
  
A reader: lol, thanks for reviewing. 


	3. Transfiguration and Potion

Disclaimer: Characters, events, places, items and so on are not mine. Please don't sue. Purely for my own enjoyment - no harm intended.  
  
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Chapter 3 - Transfiguration and Potion  
  
"Draco?" a green torch showered the Slytherin common room in eerie morning light. Squinting, Malfoy watched the sleepy eyed Blaise enter the cave from a passage that leads into the dormitories.  
  
"What are you doing up so early?"  
  
This angered Malfoy a bit - who was Blaise to question him about such matters? But the blissful confusion tangled in Blaise's knotted morning hair seemed to ebb his anger slightly. "I woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep so I just came down here to check everything's still ok."  
  
Blaise grew more confused as he watched Malfoy talk down to his feet, lighting the remaining torches on the stone walls. "Then why are you in the dark?" If Blaise weren't so concerned he would have been suspicious.  
  
"I didn't want to wake anyone." Malfoy shrugged. To anyone but Blaise it would have been obvious to tell Malfoy wasn't telling the whole truth. "What about you?"  
  
Blaise sat himself near the empty fire, placing the cold cauldron and three empty test-tube bottles in front and to either side of him. "I've got one last thing to add to the potion now that it cool."  
  
Malfoy drew himself over to the empty fire and sat down next to the caramel haired Slytherin - perhaps a little bit closer than he intended to as he felt Blaise take a deep breath in.  
  
"It doesn't say so in the book!" Malfoy accused fascinated. If there was one person who was better than him at Potions it was Blaise.  
  
"Well, no. This is my own adaptation." Blaise's face shone with passion. "I add a bit of this.." He pulled a red tiny bottle from his pocket and lifted it up to Malfoys eyes. "Which activates the potion a minute after its been exposed to the air. Meaning, when it goes off, you cant be blamed because you'll be at the other end of the room when it happens."  
  
For the briefest moment Malfoy looked pleased enough to kiss Blaise but his heart wasn't going to let him. Prehaps if Malfoy wasn't so confused about someone else - or keen - he may well have done so.  
  
"Who is it Draco?" Blaise's voice sounded low and hurt again, but this morning Malfoy noticed it. "It's Pansy Parkinson isn't it?"  
  
Malfoy glared at his strange friend, with what looked like disgusted. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"You have someone else don't you? Of course you do, I can see it in your eyes. I like you a lot Draco Malfoy, I always have!" Blaise's hand grabbed Malfoys shoulder in desperation and despair. Malfoy snagged his shoulder out of Blais's grip.  
  
"Why are the cute ones always taken? Or straight?" Sounding defeated, Blaise was astonished at his outburst and afraid that he had just frightened Malfoy.  
  
"That's a really incredible idea you have there." Malfoy said, pointing to the red bottle.  
  
Blaise looked up at Malfoy - he should have known nothing frightens or scares Draco Malfoy. "Thanks."  
  
Silence slowly crept around them, engulfing them. A few awkward seconds seemed to stretch to a few minutes as Malfoy watched his caramel haired Slytherin empty the red tube into the cauldron. Blaise broke the silence. "Pour the potion into each of the three tubes and seal the lid quickly."  
  
Twenty seconds later; the cauldron emptied; three test tubes were full to the brim with their lids snapped shut.  
  
Blaise whipped his brow with his forearm. "OK. Place the three bottles under their desks, by each of their feet, as the vapour cannot travel far. I'd say you've got about half a minute from taking the lids off to it activating. Be careful, you only have one chance. "  
  
Malfoy pocketed the three bottles and looked long and hard at Blaise before thanking him.  
  
*#*  
  
No sooner had Harry woken up; took a shower and eaten a few slices of buttered toast alone at breakfast, in the distance the forbidding dong sounded to signal first lesson - Transfiguration.  
  
The early sunbeams burst through every window and crack of the school, dazzling Harry as he passed them. Dragging and scuffling his feet he made his way up to the Transfiguration classroom - alone yet again. Ron was nowhere to be found this morning.  
  
Eventually Harry entered the Transfiguration classroom, downheartedly finding out he had arrived early.  
  
A tabby cat, with rims around its eyes, sat still on the tallest desk - only moving its eyes to follow Harry to his usual seat. However when he got to his seat he found it occupied by Hermione. Ron sat on the other side of her.  
  
"Hermione? Why are you in my seat?" Harry looked over to Ron hoping to exchange 'the' look of support but it did not come.  
  
"You don't mind do you Harry?" Ron piped up with a pleading expression on his face. "It's just that Hermione and I have made up and worked out our little misunderstanding.. From yesterday."  
  
For a moment Harry stood confused, starring at his two best friends over the rim of his askew glasses. That was until he caught Ron's' hand on Hermione's leg under the table.  
  
A smile broke across his face - this was great news! No more bickering all the time and a lot happier Hermione meant a lot more help with his homework. It also meant, he presumed, more midnight adventures with Hermione along.  
  
"Wow, that's fantastic!" Harry roared as he submitted into Hermione's end seat. All worries/misgivings about Draco Malfoy pushed from his mind completely as he was suddenly filled an array of questions he wanted to ask them.  
  
Harry had intended on badgering them about it before the rest of the class arrived but after taking out his quill, ink, textbook, parchment and lovingly placed his wand in front of him, the class were all seated.  
  
"Settle down class!" the stern voice of Professor McGonagall rang through the rectangular room. The cat had gone, instead a tall fierce looking witch stood with her hair in a tight bun, surveying her class critically. Every eye fell upon her, including Neville's toad. "Today we are doing the Switching Spell again, as I don't feel the majority understood it last year." McGonagall shot a stern look at Hermione.  
  
Harry could hear giggles coming from Hermione and whispers from Ron as he tried hard to listen to the professor. It appeared Hermione and Ron were in a world upon their own and Harry was sure Hermione hadn't been listening to a word Professor McGonagall had just said.  
  
Although to no effect, McGonagall raised her voice a little. "Sort yourselves into groups of three, when I tell you to. Select one person from your group to collect the apparatus which I have laid out at the front of the class. Work from page 184 in your textbooks - start now."  
  
As the rest of the class twittered around the room collecting what they needed and scrapped the floor with their chairs, Harry turned to page 184 patiently waiting for Ron or Hermione to turn around to him, and together, select someone to go to the front. In the haste and rush no one, not even Harry, noticed a blonde male Slytherin creep along the desks on all fours and place potion bottles at the feet of each Harry, Ron and Hermione.  
  
Harry turned to his co-group as he tried a different tack to get them to notice him. Harry was still peering at the back of Hermione as the last student (Neville) returned to his seat.  
  
He waited. And Waited. For Ron or Hermione didn't turn around and consult with him. It was then Harry realised they weren't going to - they had expected Harry to get the equipment.  
  
Harry stood up, against the tide of the sitting students, and slowly walked to the front. There were still lots of noise flooding the classroom due to re-practicing the switching spell. Harry even thought he heard a slurping sound come from where Ron and Hermione were.  
  
How they would even dare kissing in Professor McGonagall's class was well beyond Harry.  
  
He twisted around to see if his two friends really were but was stopped dead in his tracks. In slow motion, Harry saw Draco Mafoys eyes glitter with satisfaction the second before they met. When Malfoy caught Harry out of his seat his face dropped with ten thousand tonnes - horror struck.  
  
Heart stopping, skipping, dancing, Harry found himself drawing short for breath as his mind screamed "Library .... Potion .... Malfoy .... Transfiguration ...." over and over.  
  
Almost as if some silencing charm had been placed on him, Harry couldn't find his voice in time to warn Ron and Hermione.  
  
With two ear splintering, bone-chilling screams Hermione and Ron toppled over the backs of their chairs not moving - lifeless.  
  
Whatever Harry was holding, dropped and he never found out it smashed or not. Professor McGonagall was the first to reach them, waving a spell under her breath as she flew. Seconds later Headmaster Dumbledore had arrived and shooed the whole class out.  
  
"Well done, Potter!" Malfoy cornered Harry alone, his whole body screaming in anger.  
  
"You did it - you evil, slimy, bastard!" Harry lunged at Malfoy, which appeared to cheer the Slytherin up as he magically moved out of Harry's attack.  
  
"Prove it" Malfoy sniggered. "I was no where near the two losers at the time."  
  
All Harry did was gag at Malfoy, frozen in astonishment, as he turned away.  
  
*#*  
  
The rest of the day was a blur for Harry, at the end of which Professor McGonagall came up to the Gryffindor common room to make an announcement. "Two fellow Gryffindors have fallen seriously ill today and the circumstances are mysterious. I believe dark magic was at play."  
  
"Miss?" Dean Thomas shouted above the stunned students "Are they still alive?"  
  
McGonagall looked kindly at Dean as she answered "Alive? Yes. OK? No."  
  
The rest of the speech was lost on Harry as he felt his frail body fall limply into a seat near the fire.  
  
End Chapter 3  
  
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A/N: Yes this is a Harry/Draco fick - don't be mislead by Blaise's crush.  
  
Chapter 4: (I Hate You) will be up in a day or two. There will be Harry/Draco, I promise! There will also be a little bite of fluffy- anguish.  
  
Review Responses -  
  
Arrow-card: Cool :)  
  
KittenBabyGirl: Aww thanks. I updated as soon as I could.  
  
Curious Dream Weaver: lol, poor Blaise. I agree with you - there is only one paring, Harry/Draco!!!  
  
Sailor Grape: I love your reviews! You 'ooo' and 'ah' in all the right places lol. 


	4. I Hate You

Disclaimer: Characters, events, places, items and so on are not mine. Please don't sue. Purely for my own enjoyment - no harm intended.  
  
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Chapter 4 - I Hate You  
  
Harry couldn't sleep in the early hours of Friday. Thursday's events had been extraordinary bad, even for his standards. He wanted payback; he wanted to show Draco that he was not scared of him.  
  
Day after day, year after year Malfoy constantly set out to hurt him, so much so that he turned on Harry's friends. Yesterday Malfoy went too far when he targeted Ron and Hermione. At this moment they were recovering in Madam Promfrey's wing. Malfoy didn't even get punished! Harry was going to change that. The slimy look on Malfoys face, just as left the classroom without question, kept ringing in Harry's head all night long, teasing and taunting him.   
  
Waiting until the coast was clear (everyone in deep sleep) Harry grabbed his invisibility cloak and stalked his path out of the Gryffindor tower. At this hour, he had no need for the Marauder's Map the Weasley twins had given him. Or perhaps due to his hast and anger, he simply forgot about it.   
  
Within no time at all Harry found himself face to face with the Slytherin Common room's portrait, which peered over it's heavy eyelids curiously. Of course Harry was invisible but he wasn't soundless under his cloak. In his quest for payback, he had missed a particularly small step and crashed up the remaining two, slamming   
  
into the sleeping Slytherin painting, which awoke immediately.   
  
"Legilimency!" A gray voice could be heard from behind the portrait. The portrait swooshed open to reveal a cave-like dwelling, aka - the Slytherin Common room. Harry had been inside once before, in his second year. He hadn't like it then and he hated it more so now.   
  
Harry stumbled through the portal, his visible anger scorched his invisible head, only half aware that someone had opened the portrait but no one had walked out. Harry didn't care, he was out for revenge. However, now that he was inside the stone cave he realized he didn't have a plan of action. Maybe he could punch one of the old tatty chairs or steal a log from the fireplace. The painting closed silently behind him.   
  
Inside, the half-dead fire in the far corner, cast orange-black watery shadows against the stoned walls and low ceilings, lighting the cave. Harry took a deep breath, perhaps too deeply as he saw a thin, pale Malfoy leaning half his body against the frame of the fireplace. A smug expression danced on his features. The bags under his eyes illuminated to twice their actual size due to the light of the dying fire.   
  
"What took you so long?" a strong amused voice came from Draco Malfoy's lips. Harry looked directly at Malfoy who was looking down at his feet; one leg was crossed in front of the other.   
  
Harry wasn't to panic, Malfoy might have been reciting some nasty little fantasy aloud, not to worry he told himself. He hadn't expected Malfoy to be in the common room, least of all was he expecting Malfoy in a dressing gown! The longer Harry stood starring at the relaxed Draco, the angrier he became.   
  
"I recall asking you a question, Potter!" Malfoy spat, fruitlessly scanning the room. He couldn't see Harry.   
  
"I didn't know being invisible made a person deaf too." Malfoy continued, gleefully when no reply came. Harry glared at Malfoys gray/blue eyes. They looked innocent and pretty right now, as the blue color was dominant - Harry felt he had no right to have such pure eyes.   
  
Under his invisibility cloak, Harry crept forwards, until only a foot separated him from the spotless and freckle-less, white face of Malfoy. Harry wanted to punch him; to kick him; to mess his perfect blonde hair up.   
  
Malfoy looked through Harry as he softly spoke, "I've been waiting for you. I knew you would come one day." At first, Malfoy wasn't one hundred per cent sure it was Potter who he'd let in, but as time went on he was completely thrilled and convinced that it was.   
  
Harry pulled his cloak off, fixing Malfoy a hateful look while his nostrils flared. It wasn't until Harry saw Malfoys eyes adjusting, that he realized just how close he was standing to him. The raven-haired boy's glare intensified, he was not going to be the one to step back and show weakness - he wasn't scared of Malfoy and it was about time the blonde understood this.   
  
"You're nothing more than the average bully, Malfoy, and I am NOT scared of you." Harry poked Malfoy in the chest, unconsciously jabbing at a naked area that the dressing gown did not cover.   
  
"And you are weak and spoilt but that's not the..."   
  
"What do you mean you've been waiting for me?" Harry snapped, suddenly remembering what Malfoy had said earlier.  
  
"As I said, you are weak and manipulative thus easy to provoke. However, I must say I expected you to have paid me a visit well before now." Malfoy's stare was unflickering as he spoke.   
  
"You... you wanted me to come here?" Harry felt heat escaping his every pour as he stood watching a tall, slim Malfoy change his body weight from one foot to the other. Still completely relaxed.  
  
"I wanted to show you something." His cool voice washed over Harry.   
  
"I HATE you!" Harry chimed.   
  
"Do you hate me to your core?" Malfoy continued calmly, Harry simply nodded in answer.   
  
"Is your core referring to you heart?" Malfoy had complete control over this situation, even more so than he had ever expected.   
  
"S'pose so, yes." As Harry continued to answer, Malfoy dislodged himself from the fireplace to stand tall. "And not just my core but in my blood and every cell in my body wants to rip you apart! I hate you!!"   
  
Malfoy stepped closer, personal space shattering into millions of invisible pieces. "Good." Malfoy growled to Harry's red-hot lips, as he gently pressed his own upon them. For the briefest moment Malfoy's lips touched Harry's. Malfoy pulled away but lingered less than a centimeter away from the petrified, Gryffindor's face.   
  
Harry HATED Malfoy. Malfoy just kissed him? He HATED Malfoy. Harry unconsciously licked his lips and tasted mint and cinnamon left from alien lips. He HATED Malfoy this very second more than he had ever in his whole life. He watched Malfoy's eyes follow his tongue, as Harry tasted his lip.   
  
There was nothing else Harry could do to react except lift his right hand to Malfoys big head and grab his perfect hair. Fire flashed in Harry's eyes. In that split second he made a fist in the alien's hair, aggressively dragging Malfoys lips to meet his own again. This time the kiss was fast and hungry as Harry bit, licked and traced Malfoy's mouth in anger and want. The common room fire died with a hiss.   
  
Malfoy grimaced as his tongue touched Harry's. This was more of Malfoys kind of kiss – powerful. He didn't know when exactly his own hand had reached for the raven hair, but right now he was twisting a lock of it in his left hand.   
  
Then suddenly he froze, letting his hand fall limply from Harry's hair to his own side. Malfoy pulled away from the kiss - this was more than just a kiss now. He only meant to play with Harry; intimidate him, not actually feel something for his raven-hared nemesis. Something he had been strongly denying to himself all summer long.  
  
By this time, Harry's spare hand was tracing Malfoys jaw line, while his other was deliberately messing Malfoys hair up. Harry didn't want Malfoy to stop but he sensed him go ridged never the less just before leaving Harry's mouth. With every ounce of strength Harry could master, he tried to open his eyes but failed. "I hate you." Harry whispered breathlessly when finally he opened them, his hand still holding Malfoys jaw.   
  
"Good." Came Malfoys reply, although this time he sounded more serious. This time he wanted it to be true. He didn't want to feel so scared and loved by Harry again. He could really hurt Harry that way, and now, hurting Harry was the last thing he wanted to do. Best make sure Potter hates you even more, Malfoy told himself, that way he could stop this, whatever this was, from developing into something more powerful than the both of them.   
  
Harry saw confusion, turmoil and was that hurt in Malyfoys eyes? "Draco..." Harry again whispered, forgetting to call him by his last name, not caring he was a Malfoy, but seeing him as a handsome seventeen year old. He let his finger Rome Malfoys face. First gliding over Malforys warm cheeks, finishing by tracing the swollen lips with his thumb. Harry felt Malfoy shudder under his caress just before he grabbed the wrist and pulled Harry away from his face.   
  
"Get lost, Potter!" Malfoy couldn't deal with this, he had only known how to hate Potter, not love Harry. No, Malfoy scowled at himself, he did not just say love!   
  
"LEGILIMENCY!" Malfoy boomed at the door as the painting swung open allowing blue light to stream into the darkened cave. "GO!"   
  
Harry stood threatening to cry as he looked into Malfoy's eyes. He had spun a full 360 degrees of emotions tonight. He turned away; half to hide his face, immediately missing the closeness of Malfoy. He pulled up his earlier abandoned cloak in his arms and scuffled out through the portal.   
  
Outside, just before the painting shut, Harry turned to look back into the cave. It looked gloomy and scary. He caught a picture of a weak Draco Malfoy crouching on the cold, stone covered floor as a solitary tear hit his dressing gown. The same cotton-soft dressing gown Harry had felt press against him only moments ago. The same dressing gown he had felt Malfoys heartbeat pounding through.   
  
Harry was not going to let Malfoy have the last word on this subject, it was only the first week of term, he had the rest of the school year to change Malfoys mind.  
  
End Chapter 4  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: There, i needed to make Malfoy mean for this Chapter to work best.  
  
Chapter 5 (Aftermath) will be out in about a week as it needs to be written up. No Spoilers this time.  
  
Review Responses:  
  
arrow-card: lol. Yeah last chapter was mean, but i needed to make Malfoy mean for this chapter to work best. Thanks.  
  
Curious Dream Weaver: Thanks for reviewing. They will get better, infact im thinking of putting them in the next chapter.  
  
Devil Joe: Thanks. YAY, I'm happy ya like it.  
  
superduperducky: Wow i loved your review - lol. Thanks.   
  
Hitotsu Kaji: Yep Harry/Draco interaction soon, lol. Thank you!  
  
Rosa Crouch: Thanks. I hope this scene passes as more of a slashy one.  
  
PeroxideBarbie: lololol, Malfoy will start to show his more nicer side now - well soon. 


	5. Aftermath

A/N:  
  
I'm sorry this has taken sooooooo long to put up! I've been wrapped up in uni work for ages.   
  
In this chapter I denote: ||| between paragraphs to show a switch of character point of views.  
  
****  
  
Chapter Aftermath  
  
For the next week, Draco skipped all of his lessons that he had with Harry – including Potions. Until on the following Tuesday morning his desire for potion making over came him.   
  
'Oh just grow up Draco!' Malfoy told himself on his way to the dungeon; both late and alone. 'It was your fault the Potter incident happened in the first place – and now you have to suffer the consequences.'  
  
"Yeah right!" Malfoy sang into the lonely corridor just before stopping dead in his tracks and turning around to head for his room. In his room he had a whole array of potions he could brew, thanks to his shipment of goodies his father sends. And as he turned in hi steps he was meet by…  
  
"Mr Malfoy…" a stern witches voice hissed. It was Professor McGonagall. "Why aren't you in lesson boy?" Without giving him time to respond she continued. "I know you have Potions with my class now. I thought you liked Potions Mr Malfoy?" Her eyebrows frowned and she went on… "In fact I want to know why you haven't been going to a few of your other lessons lately."  
  
"I'd love to chat Professor but your making me late for my first lesson." Draco coolly shot back.   
  
"Yeah right, Mr Malfoy." For this comment McGonagall received one of Draco's world famous glares. "Go! I can see the dungeon doors from here and I don't see you walking in their direction."  
  
And with that Draco grimaced at the old bag and continued on into the dungeon. Apart from Dumbledore, McGonagall was Draco's most hated professor at Hogwarts.   
  
As Malfoy entered the back of the dungeon he spotted his fear sitting in the seat right next to the door. Harry. 'Hold it together Draco.' He breathed silently to himself.  
  
|||  
  
"Missed me Potter?" Draco's whisper echoed in Harry's his ear at least twelve times before he could comprehend it, by which time the owner had taken his seat at the front of the Potions dungeon.  
  
Snape glared at Draco in an odd way as the blonde sat confidently into his usual seat – ten minutes late.  
  
"Something wrong Sir?" Draco asked as Snape continued to glare at Draco suspiciously until his beetle black eyes expanded and snapped squarely on Harry.  
  
Harry felt sick; he knew all too well that Snape could read minds – had he just searched Malfoys to see why he hadn't been his classes for a few days?  
  
"Perhaps…" Snape turned from Harry and back to Draco, "…I should ask you that question Malfoy!" Snape hissed at Draco as smoothly as one of his simmering Potions. "See me after class!" He added as an after thought to Malfoy as he strode to his blackboard and flashed today's potion upon it.  
  
|||  
  
At the end of the class, when the rest of the were packing up to leave Draco wondered what the hell had gotten into his favorite teacher. He's only missed two or three lessons tops – and it wasn't as if he was a Neville Longbottom at Potions.   
  
"Sir!" Draco sang standing up and putting his wand into his bag. "Did I miss something vital last week?"  
  
Snape had been glaring at Malfoy all lesson long and only now did snape seem to cool down a notch. "Why have you not been in my classes?"   
  
Draco thought about lying, telling Snape that he had been ill and the fumes of the potions would make it worse or something, but before the words left his moth Snape interrupted.  
  
"No need to lye to a fellow Slytherin – or have you decided Slytherin isn't good enough for you these days?"   
  
"Excuse you sir?" Draco drew up a dignified breath that said 'I have a powerful dad who has powerful contacts.'   
  
Snape sighed with lost hope, "I know why you weren't here. It's that Potter isn't is."   
  
"Sir? What are you …?"  
  
"I'm your head of house – Slytherin – When it comes to my house, nothing gets past me, so don't try denying it."  
  
"Denying what?" Draco replied airily but the fire and pity in Snapes eyes told Draco that somehow Snape knew what happened in his common room. Probably has it bugged or some sort of spying spells in it – Draco reasoned with himself.  
  
"I'd be careful if I were you sir." Draco thickly growled shaking visibly from head to foot.  
  
The fire in Snapes eyes died away to reveal a look of pitty. "Look at yourself Draco, you're a mess – you've got it bad."   
  
"I don't know what your talking about sir." And with that Draco turned away from the teacher and made his path to exit the dungeon doors.  
  
"If you need a chat Draco, I'm still here for you – I will listen." No matter what he thought of the Potter kid, he couldn't just stop caring for Draco.   
  
Draco was his best student, who asked him all the challenging questions and who came and visited him in his Hogwarts chambers on weekends and after school hours (sometimes before school hours too) to learn and brew off the curricular potions. The fun potions that Snape himself loved messing about with when he was Draco's age.   
  
'I'm not going to let some black haired male Griffindor ruin his life like it did mine!' Snape concluded determined with himself. For the next five minutes or so Snape got lost in thought about Sirius Black.   
  
|***|  
  
The next day Griffindor and Slytherin had Potions again. Harry spotted Draco instantaneously. Draco was hidden at the front desk, shielded in a knitted knot of Slytherins all occupying the row of desks directly behind the blonde. In Snapes bubbling dungeon all the Griffindors (who took potions) occupied just the one row.  
  
"Malfoy!" Harry heard one of his fellow Griffindors aggressively whisper to his friend "Look at him surrounded by his cronies! Probably scared that we'll do something to him if he's alone. I wouldn't blame him though, after what he did to Ron and Hermione he'd need protection from us!"  
  
"I wouldn't mind getting him alone" Harry mused to himself.  
  
The class settled down and where soon lost in concentration. Today's assigned Potion was a particularly delicate and fragile one. The instructions of which flashed white hot on the blackboard. It shone like a beacon in the now green-smoke filled dungeon. No one noticed Draco get out of his seat and walk up to Snape at his tall desk. No one, that is, except Harry.  
  
Harry's eagle eyes took as much of Draco in as he followed Draco's form elegantly manoeuvre itself through the smoky potions classroom. Harry realised he had never really *seen* Draco before.   
  
His shoes were shinning black, which puzzled Harry. 'Probably some spell' he agreed with himself before laughing at the stupidity of somebody doing such a thing. After his shoes, Harry noticed Draco's legs, athletic legs that bend at the knee; the cute wiggling bum, torso, chest and arms; strong and strait, and then Draco's chin.   
  
As Harry closed his eyes he could feel that chin under his caressing thumb. He could feel those lips that were now too far away from his own.   
  
The raven-haired boy lifted his eyelids and sat starring at the flexible movements of Draco's lips as he spoke to the dungeon master, while everyone else concentrated on the potion.  
  
|***|  
  
The whole week continued like this. Draco untouchable and Harry stealing lustful glances at him. The Slytherins were their usual ghastly selves towards Griffindor and the rest of the school. Except for one thing, Draco. Harry had noticed that Malfoy only made snide remarks about him behind his back and not to his face, Harry also noticed that Draco hadn't even looked at him since the night in Draco's common room.  
  
Three weeks passed since that night in the Slytherin common room and yet Malfoy still refused to made eye contact with Harry. During the weeks Harry began thinking about Ron and Hermione more and less of Malfoy.   
  
It wasn't the same without them two around; he kind of missed their bickering at each other too. Harry had now decided he hated Malfoy again  
  
|***|  
  
In the morning of Tuesday Harry skipped Snape's Potion lesson to spend the time with his two bestest friends – Ron and Hermione, who had just been released from the hospital wing that morning.   
  
In the afternoon however, Hermione had told them they simply must go to their lessons. There was a quiver in her voice as she spoke. They had DADA with the Slytherins in the afternoon. This meant that they would have to see Malfoy. The one who had sent them in the hospital wing in the first place.  
  
A fire raged up inside of Harry. How could he have been so stupid for kissing such an evil person who made others mortally fearful? How could he have even thought him cute for a while afterward the 'incident' (as he was now calling it)?   
  
'The 'incident' was some sick game Malfoy had played on him,' Harry reasoned, 'sick and twisted game.' Although something small, minuscule, in the shallowest depths of Harry's stomach cried otherwise.   
  
In the DADA lesson, the class was ordered to pair up in teams of two to handle the blue, overlarge caterpillar-like creature the class were to be studying on Friday.  
  
It was Ron's turn to work with Hermione today as last lesson (all that long time ago) he worked with Harry.  
  
A sudden shiver ran the length of Harry spine. He sensed Ron and Hermione go quite and still. The reason, Harry found out almost immediately.   
  
"I've been told to work with you." Draco slid in the seat next to Harry, his face was unreadable as per usual. Harry felt his heartbeat increase, and scorned himself for such a wrong reaction before brining it back to a more normal pace. But things with the blonde were never normal.  
  
Ron moved a little further away from Harry making a noise of disgust under his tongue.  
  
"Alright there weasel?" Draco leaned deliberately across Harry to smirk at the red faced Ron.  
  
"Eat dung Malfoy!" Ron spoke into his desk as Hermione stepped between the two boys path, blocking Draco from Ron's view.  
  
"Leave him alone Malfoy." Harry turned to the close, familiar face of the blonde haired boy who remained leant over Harry.  
  
"Its Malfoy now is it?" Draco whispered into Harry's ear while underneath the desk he placed a hand on Harry's closest thigh and slowly began moving it further up Harry's leg.  
  
Draco glanced around the classroom to see if anybody had noticed his and Harry's closeness increasing. He turned back to Harry when he was satisfied no one was, only to find that Harry's eyes were on his lips.  
  
"I thought you didn't want me." Harry sulked on the air that Draco had just breathed out only allowing Draco to hear. Harry shocked himself with such an honest answer; he didn't even know he felt that way until it just popped out. But he knew it was true.  
  
Draco took this chance to vanish the distance and kissed Harry hard, risking tongue, while allowing his wandering hand to move from Harry's lap up to his cock.  
  
It was Harry's turn to break the kiss this time. He grabbed Draco's thin hand away from him by holding it still between his two warm hands.  
  
While fighting under the table for his hand back, Draco replied, "You're the brave one – not me."  
  
Wow, Harry had just seen insecurity in Draco. Again! Malfoy didn't like this one bit and scrapped his chair a good distance from Harry resulting in a freed hand.  
  
"You started this Draco!" Harry was shocked to find that this time he has shouted, causing every face (apart from Draco's) to fall upon him.   
  
"Crazy show off!" Draco announced to the class at large answering their little faces. They all seemed to take Draco's reason for Harry's explosion and continued back to work. Draco turned back to a clearly hurt Harry who shot daggers at him.   
  
"Why did you say that?" Harry spat.  
  
"Because I shouldn't… but I want you Harry." He finished in a slightly louder tone.  
  
Ron didn't see the desire or anguish in Draco's eyes, just heard the tone of his last sentence and snatched Harry away from Draco, almost toppling him off his wooden stool in the process.  
  
Ron jerked to his feet and jabbed his wand at Malfoys heart and said with a frighteningly convincing atmosphere, "You harm a single hair on his head and I will kill you Malfoy!"  
  
Ron obviously took Malfoys last sentence to Harry as a threat; Hermione was at Ron's side also on her feet with her hand in her pocket. Harry guessed it was clutched around her own wand.  
  
Draco looked from an open mouthed Harry to all of his cronies which were now on their feet poised in his direction. Waiting for his signal. Draco distorted his features into a sly and menacing look of pleasure.   
  
"You're a disgrace to wizard, Weasel" Draco managed as a come back as he was split by the substitute teacher, from Harry's group and told to join a group far away from Harry.  
  
Harry's heart sank as he watched Draco leave his side – and world – yet again. He wondered how long it would be until the next time they got a chance to be together. One thing he knew for certain was his feelings. They were as strong as they were that night in Draco's common room.  
  
  
  
End of Chapter  
  
*****  
  
Next Chapter: The next chapter is in the pipe-line but I will make sure I wont leave it anywhere near as long to upload as I did this one.  
  
Next Chapter Teaser: Harry uses his Slytherin side to *talk* to Draco.   
  
  
  
I'd like to say 'lol' to justxme 


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